Hope
by deadeb03
Summary: After the death of the earth's greatest warriors at the hands of the Androids, is Gohan the planet's last hope? Based on "The History of Trunks" timeline.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Painful Memories

 _"Gohan! Get out of here!"_  
 _"No! Piccolo! I won't leave you!"_  
 _"Just do what I tell you for once!"_

Gohan awoke from his dream, drenched in sweat. Only it hadn't been a dream. The memory was so fresh it felt like he was still there, the energy pulsing from the battle making the hairs on his arms stand on end.

Suddenly cold and shaking, he reached for the lamp beside his bed. The light expelled the shadows, but not the nightmare. They were dead. All dead. And the only reason he was still alive was because he ran away from the fight like a coward. But if he hadn't followed Piccolo's order, could he really have made a difference? The adult warriors had been defeated so easily, what could he, just a kid, have done?

Unable to sleep any more, Gohan crept outside through his window, careful not to wake his mother. He didn't want her to find out about the dream. Since his father had died, Gohan had become the man of the house. And men didn't have nightmares that frightened them awake.

Gohan walked across the yard to his father's shrine. After bowing respectfully, he sat cross-legged in front of Goku's picture. His father's kind face smiled back at him.

"I miss you, Dad," he said quietly, ignoring the tears that streamed down his cheeks. "Why can't everything be like it was just a few years ago? Like when you came back from Namek."

Gohan smiled as he thought back to that day. They'd all been so afraid when Frieza and King Cold arrived on Earth. Frieza was out for revenge and determined to kill everyone that Goku cared for.

Then suddenly, there he was! After being gone for a year and a half, Goku appeared out of thin air and stood between Frieza and the Earth's special forces. They could all see the fear in Frieza's eyes as Goku's energy soared and he ascended to a Super Saiyan. But Frieza wouldn't back down. Goku was forced to use his new skills to destroy him once and for all.

After the last bits of his son were blasted away, King Cold and his men retreated to his ship. Goku stood back and let them flee back into space, much to Vegeta's exasperation.

"You should have killed them all when you had the chance!" Vegeta shouted at him. "You spared Frieza's life, and look what happened! He came back even stronger to destroy your entire planet!"

"But King Cold hasn't done anything to any of us," Goku argued. "I had no reason to kill him. Besides, he isn't half as strong as Frieza was."

"You will never be considered an elite warrior!" Vegeta huffed.

"Maybe not," Goku shrugged. Then he smiled down at Gohan. "I'm just looking forward to spending time with my family."

Gohan sighed and touched his father's picture.

"That was the best two and a half years of my life, Dad. Remember how much mom used to make me study before we could even go for a swim? Then there was that time we went camping with Piccolo and she searched for us for two days because we 'accidentally' forgot to take my homework along. Remember how mad she was when she finally found us?"

Gohan's laughter sounded forced even to his own ears. The happy memories still couldn't drive out the helpless feeling of the nightmare. He stopped laughing and looked down at his hands.

"I had another nightmare," he admitted to Goku's picture. "The same one I've been having for the past 6 months. I wish you had been there. I just know if you hadn't died, you could've saved them all from those Androids. I know you could've done what I couldn't!"

Grief overcame Gohan and he stood to turn his back to Goku's shrine. He couldn't even face his father's picture with the shame he felt.

"I shouldn't have run!" he said angrily. "I should've ignored Piccolo and Krillen and stayed to fight! Losing to those monsters would have been better than what I felt when I went back there afterward!"

A feeling of sadness and anger swept over Gohan. By the time the last of the energy blasts of the battle died away, Gohan hadn't been able to sense any of his friends' life forces. He flew back as fast as he could, but there was nothing he could do. Even if he'd been able to use his father's instant transmission technique to get to Master Korin's and back, the Sensu beans wouldn't have worked on the lifeless bodies that lay amidst the rubble. Pain pierced his heart as he knelt beside each person, checking for any signs of life.

* * *

They had all felt the power of the explosion that came from the direction of South City and went to investigate. The news reports had been sketchy, but said there were two people behind the destruction. Piccolo, Vegeta, Tien, Chaotzu, Yamcha, and Krillen flew off to see who could have possessed such a power level. Even though it had only been six months since his father had died, Gohan ignored his mother's protesting and joined them.

"I'll bet it's that King Cold guy!" Yamcha said.

"It's not King Cold," Vegeta argued. "I would be able to sense him."

"I don't sense anyone," Tien added.

"That's what I'm worried about," Piccolo growled.

They landed in the middle of the blasted out city. None of them knew the city had even existed on this tiny island. By the amount of rubble and body parts, they could tell it must have been heavily populated.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Krillen said, visibly shaking with fear. "Whoever did this has to be incredibly strong!"

"But why would they kill all these innocent people!" Yamcha wondered, baffled and angry.

"Because they could," Vegeta answered and smiled at the thought of meeting a worthy adversary.

Gohan stared around in disbelief. He couldn't understand how anyone could value life so little.

"Well, look who we have here."

The cold voice took them all by surprise. They spun around and came face to face with two people. A boy with black hair wearing a bandana around his neck and a blond-haired girl.

"It looks like our little fireworks display attracted some attention, Number 17," the girl answered with a smile.

"You were right Number 18. They all came running. Like lambs to the slaughter," the boy chuckled.

"What are you!" Piccolo demanded, already in fighting stance. "Why can't I sense your life force?"

"Maybe because we're not really alive," Number 18 said.

"We're Androids made by Dr. Gero," Number 17 clarified.

"From the old Red Ribbon Army?" Krillen asked. "The one Goku destroyed?"

"That's right," Number 18 said. "Our initial programming was to search out and kill this Goku."

"But since he's already dead," Number 17 continued, "Gero thought he would use us to control the world instead. That is, until we had a bit of a falling out."

"Number 17 killed him," Number 18 explained.

"So now we are free to do what we like," Number 17 finished.

"But why destroy this town and all its people?" Tien asked.

"Because Number 18 is a bit impatient," Number 17 pouted. "I wanted to make a game out of finding you."

"And I thought that was childish," Number 18 added, glaring at the other Android. "This is much quicker. Now we can take care of you all at once."

"But it's not as much fun."

Piccolo and Vegeta growled at the casual way the machines talked about destroying the strongest warriors on Earth. Anger flashed in their eyes and their muscles flexed in anticipation of the impending fight.

The other warriors nervously shifted from one foot to the other. They felt uneasy about not being able to sense the Androids' power levels. They had no idea just how strong they were...or could get. But if the explosion they caused earlier was any indication, they were in for quite a battle.

Piccolo was the first to attack. He flew in to hit Number 17, but his powerful fist never found its mark. The Android deftly stepped to one side and Piccolo ended up soaring passed. His anger grew as he tried over and over again to hit Number 17.

"Too slow again," the Android laughed, clearly enjoying the game. Number 18 rolled her eyes and watched with her arms crossed.

When the fight escalated to ki blasts, it was made painfully clear who the victor would be. Piccolo's attacks couldn't even scratch the machine's skin, while each shot from Number 17 weakened Piccolo further and further.

Gohan couldn't stand watching the Namek being beaten so easily. Piccolo was not only his teacher and a good friend, but also a father-figure for him. He wanted to rush in to help, but Krillen held him back. Piccolo sensed Gohan's struggle to get to him and called out to him.

"Gohan! Get out of here!" he ordered.

"No, Piccolo! I won't leave you!" Gohan cried out.

"Just do what I tell you for once!" Piccolo shouted as he tried to dodge another attack.

"Piccolo's right!" Krillen told Gohan, holding the boy back with all his strength. "They're too strong! We'd never be able to face Goku in the other dimension if anything happened to you!"

When Gohan still struggled to get free, Krillen tried another tactic.

"Think of your mother, Gohan!" he shouted to get the boy's attention. "Chi Chi just lost her husband! Don't risk leaving her without a son, too!"

Gohan stopped fighting against Krillen. Loyalty towards his comrades fought against the love for his mother. Helplessly, he watched as Piccolo crashed to the ground. Slowly and painfully, he got to his feet, holding onto his twisted, broken arm. He spared one look back at Gohan before Number 17 flew in for another attack.

"GO!"

His decision made for him, Gohan turned and flew off as fast as he could. He looked back over his shoulder in time to see Vegeta stop the girl from following him. As he flew away from the battle, he hoped and prayed he was doing the right thing.

* * *

"Those Androids killed them all!" Gohan shouted at the starry sky. "Piccolo, Vegeta, Yamcha, Tien, Chaotzu and Krillen...they were all dead! I felt each of their life forces slip away and I still flew away! And now there's no one left to stop their reign of terror!"

Gohan paused to wipe the tears of shame and anger from his eyes. His hands shook with grief.

"I shouldn't have left," he continued, almost in a whisper. "I should never have listened to Piccolo. I should have stayed."

"There was nothing you could do."

Gohan's heart skipped at the unexpected sound of his father's voice. He whirled around, searching the shadows.

"Dad? Where are you?" he called.

"I'm here with King Kai," Goku said lightly, speaking telepathically from Other World. "We all are. By the way, Piccolo says, 'Don't be such a baby.'"

Gohan smiled in spite of himself. That sounded exactly like what Piccolo would have told him. Quickly, he wiped his face with his arm. "You sound great, Dad. What have you been doing?"

"Oh, we've just been hanging out on King Kai's planet," Goku said. "Doing a little training."

"Doing a little destroying, you mean," King Kai added huffily. "You'd better get down to business, Goku. This is a long distance call, you know."

"OK, King Kai. Listen very carefully, Gohan," Goku began. "You are the Earth's last hope for stopping the Androids."

"But Piccolo and Vegeta couldn't even defeat them!" Gohan protested. "What could I do against monsters like that?"

"Become a Super Saiyan," Goku told him.

Gohan's mouth dropped open. Become a Super Saiyan like his father? Was it possible?

"But...but..." Gohan stuttered. "I don't know how!"

"Remember the way you felt that day," Goku said, suddenly very serious. "Remember the pain deep inside. Turn that pain into rage. Harness the rage until you can't hold it anymore, then let it go. Think of it like a dam breaking and letting out all that rage as pure power. You'll know it when you feel it. But it's going to take a lot of work and training to be able to ascend whenever you want to."

"But I'm only eleven years old! You didn't turn Super Saiyan until just a few years ago!"

"You've got tremendous power, Gohan," Piccolo's voice interrupted. "You can do it if you just put your mind to it. We all know you can!"

Piccolo's voice brought back a flood of memories. The Namek's training had been extremely hard, but satisfying at the same time. Suddenly, he was looking forward to this challenge. If he could train himself to become a Super Saiyan, he would have a good chance of stopping the Androids that had robbed him of his friends.

"I'll do my best," Gohan promised. "I'll start training right away."

"That's my boy," Goku said with pride. "Give your mother my love. Good luck, Gohan."

Gohan felt his father's presence leave and the empty night return.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Possibilities

"No! No! No! Absolutely not!"

"I'm not asking for your permission, mom," Gohan said as he calmly packed his extra fighting clothes into a small bag.

Chi Chi took an involuntary step backwards, shocked by her son's attitude. Gohan had never talked to her like that before. But, then again, he had never seemed so grown up before, either. If it weren't for his newly cut short hair, she would have sworn it was her husband, Goku, standing before her. He even had Goku's aura of self-assurance. She wondered what could have happened during the night to bring about such a sudden change in her little boy.

"But why can't you just train here?" she asked.

"You should know the answer to that," he said patiently. "I have to train in the desert where I won't hurt anyone or anything."

"How long are you going to be gone?" Chi Chi persisted, following him through the house.

"I don't know," Gohan sighed. "I'm still not entirely sure I can do what Dad told me, but I have to at least try. The Androids are going to keep killing innocent people until everyone on Earth is dead – or someone finally stops them. Dad, Piccolo, Krillen...everyone...is counting on me!"

Gohan flung his bag over his shoulder and stood facing his mother. He hated the worry and sorrow in her eyes, but knew he had no choice. It was only a matter of time before the two monsters found their way here to his home. Or to Bulma and Baby Trunks at the Capsule Corp. Or to Master Roshi's island. He had to do everything in his power to keep that from happening.

"Bye, mom," he said and kissed Chi Chi on the cheek, something he hadn't done in a very long time. Then, before he lost his nerve, he turned and walked out the door toward Goku's shrine.

He knelt and bowed low, offering up a silent prayer that his father would be with him every step of his training. He also asked that Piccolo's spirit be present in order to drive him harder and further than he would be able to do himself. The time away from this sanctuary would be tough. It had been a source of strength for the past year. With a last look at his father's picture, he stood and left the shrine.

"Gohan! Wait!" Chi Chi called.

Gohan had already floated a few feet off the ground, but paused and turned toward his mother's voice. She came running across the yard, juggling a large box. Gohan quickly landed and ran to catch the box before it could crash to the ground.

"What is this?" he asked.

"Just some things you may need," she answered, brushing the hair from her face. "Some food, utensils...things like that. I just couldn't see you going into the desert without at least some supplies!"

"Thanks, mom." Gohan smiled, relieved he didn't have to leave without his mother's blessing. Impulsively, he flung himself at her and hugged her tight. "I love you!"

"I love you, too, Gohan," she sniffed, struggling to keep her tears in check. "Be careful out there."

"I will," he promised. Easily lifting the heavy box with one arm, Gohan flew off toward his new home.

* * *

"Nnnoooo!"

Rocks shattered and floated in midair. The ground shook and cracked. Birds and animals sought shelter away from the extremely intense energy coming from the young warrior whose hair stood on end and flashed from black to yellow and back again.

Gohan focused on the memory of finding his friends dead at the hands of the Androids. The terrible injustice of it all. The pain he felt when he carried their lifeless bodies back from that island. The horrible rage built up inside, threatening to tear him apart. When he could stand it no longer, he gave a final shout and let the rage take over his body.

An energy, more powerful than he'd ever felt before, flowed through him like an electric current. He felt his muscles bulge with increased strength and strain against his uniform. His senses heightened considerably and he was able to see and hear things more clearly than ever.

The energy kept soaring higher and higher until Gohan feared it would never stop, destroying his body in its attempt to escape. For just an instant, Gohan considered trying to hold back the power. But he promised himself he wouldn't do that this time.

All his earlier attempts to ascend to Super Saiyan failed because he hesitated to release the tremendous energy, fearing what might happen. He knew his power level was high enough to destroy an entire planet, just as Vegeta's and his father's had been. Gohan hadn't wanted to risk the Earth's safety in his quest for the ultimate Saiyan form, and had backed down each time.

This time, he did not hesitate.

The tremendous surge of power exploded into pure energy as the air around Gohan sizzled. His eyes changed from black to bright green and his hair stood on end and glowed bright yellow. He felt his power peak and held it until he was sure he had total control of it. Relief flooded through him that he'd reached the plateau with his body still intact.

Curious, he took flight and headed toward the small lake he used to catch fish. The speed he achieved amazed him. He was able to reach the lake in just seconds instead of minutes! He hovered over the water and studied his new appearance. He looked exactly like his father had when he reached Super Saiyan on Namek. The level that was finally able to defeat Frieza.

Gohan stared down at his hands in wonderment. They still looked the same, yet he knew they were capable of so much more than before. But would it be enough? Was he strong enough now to destroy the Androids? Could they be that much harder to kill than Frieza?

It was time to test his new strength. He already knew how much faster he was. Now, Gohan wanted to know if his energy attacks had become more powerful. He chose a large mountain in the distance and prepared his attack.

"Masenko!" he yelled and released an enormous blast of energy from his hands.

The size of the beam both surprised and pleased Gohan. It was bigger than any energy attack he'd seen any of the other warriors use. The ball of energy at the head of the beam flew straight at the mountain, and there was a large flash of light on impact. Seconds later, the sound of the explosion reached Gohan's ears. The cloud of dust was too thick for him to see the extent of the damage.

Gohan quickly flew over to see what his blast had done. When he could finally see through the dust and smoke, he nearly fell out of the sky. Normally, his blast at that distance would've taken off the tip or at least caused a section of the mountain to break apart.

The large mountain - bigger than the one he'd grown up on - had been completely disintegrated! The only thing that remained was a blasted out crater! Gohan gave a triumphant yell.

"Yes! I did it! I'm a Super Saiyan! Now I can beat the Androids!"

Suddenly, Gohan felt himself losing power. His hair and eyes turned back to black as his energy was snuffed out like a candle. He fell from the sky and crashed on the rocky ground below, too weak to even move.

"Maybe I need more practice at this," he thought just before he sank into unconsciousness.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: First Encounter

"At least the Androids haven't made it this far," Gohan thought as he flew over the countryside. The farmland was still fruitful and the livestock grazed on the lush grasses.

He'd been afraid everything had been completely destroyed during his years of training, but knew there was nothing he could do to stop the Androids until he was certain he'd mastered the level of Super Saiyan. His relief was short-lived as he caught sight of a cloud of smoke on the horizon.

"Curse those monsters!" Gohan growled and headed toward the smoke's source as fast as he could.

As he got nearer, Gohan realized where he was headed. It was North City, home of the Capsule Corp., Bulma, and Baby Trunks! Was he too late? Had they been able to escape the wrath of the Androids in time? Were they among the crowds of people he saw fleeing to safety?

The smoke was coming from an apartment complex at the edge of the city. The windows were all blasted out and there were hunks of twisted, metal objects protruding from the building's brick side. Gohan flew closer to see what the objects were.

"They're cars!" he exclaimed. "But why? How?"

His questions were answered as a large vehicle came hurtling toward him. He dodged easily and watched as the delivery truck flew into the building, creating yet another hole in the brick wall. The weight of the truck was more than the already destroyed structure could handle. With a loud rumble, the entire building collapsed in a cloud of dust and smoke. Gohan looked down and saw what he knew he would find.

"That's fifteen!" Number 17 said cheerfully. "You owe me an ice cream cone!"

"Whatever," Number 18 answered with a sigh. She was perched on top of a street light, resting her chin in one hand. She looked as bored as her counterpart looked amused.

"Oh come on! There's no need to sulk just because I won," Number 17 said, floating up to her level. "Tell you what, why don't you make the next contest."

"OK," she said with a smirk. She floated from her seat and pointed over his shoulder. "First one to kill the kid wins."

Number 17 turned to see Gohan hovering over the destroyed building. A cruel smile spread across his face.

"Say, isn't that the scrawny little brat that came back for his dead friends? The one you wouldn't let me kill?"

"Sure looks like him," Number 18 answered. "But this time he isn't blubbering like a little baby, so I say he's fair game."

Gohan's mouth dropped open in shock. They'd seen him come back to that island years ago. They'd seen him cry over his fallen comrades. They could've easily killed him when his guard was down. They spared his life!

Before Gohan could collect his thoughts and defend himself, both Androids flew straight at him. The boy's fist connected with Gohan's chin, while the girl's knee drove into his stomach. Gohan was blown back by the force and crashed through the brick wall of a department store a block away. Luckily, the building had been cleared of customers after the first attack on the apartment complex.

Gohan picked himself up out of the shattered glass display case he'd landed on and brushed the scattered jewelry from his uniform. His anger rose as he thought about what the Androids had said. If it was true, they'd seen him at his lowest - emotionally broken by the loss of his friends. He would never have cried like that if he knew anyone was watching. To hear them call him a baby and know they let him live out of pity was just enough fuel to ignite his Super Saiyan energy.

"He's in there all right," Gohan heard Number 17 say. "I just felt his power level. It would be easier if we just blew up the whole building."

"But then we wouldn't know which one of us killed him," Number 18's voice answered. "We wouldn't know who won."

Gohan moved away from the hole he'd made in the side of the building and retreated further into the department store. He passed racks of clothing and mannequins, listening for the Androids location. Their voices echoed in the deserted building, making it hard to tell exactly where they were.

"He must have landed in the beauty parlor," the girl said.

"I hate that bleached look," the boy replied.

"At least mine is natural," she chuckled.

Gohan kept backing up, searching the enormous room for the origin of the voices. He bumped into something and spun around just in time to catch a scantily clad female dummy before it crashed to the floor. He blushed when he saw what he was holding and quickly set it back up before escaping the lingerie section.

"Isn't that cute?"

"I think he's made a friend."

Their laughter followed him as he ducked down, trying to hide his own location. He crawled through the children's section into the women's display, hoping the taller dress racks would conceal him better. He squatted down and waited for one of the Androids to make the next move.

"Do you think this scarf matches my eyes?"

Gohan jumped at the soft voice in his ear and spun around to see Number 18 sitting on a mannequin stand. She had a blue, filmy scarf held up just below her eyes. She batted her eyelashes at him and gave him a coy smile through the thin material.

"Didn't anyone tell you it's not polite to stare," Number 17 scolded, flying in for a punch.

Gohan used his increased speed to dodge the hit and spun around to deliver a kick of his own. The boy easily deflected the kick and punched Gohan in the chest, sending him toward the high ceiling. Gohan caught himself just before making contact with a bank of fluorescent lights and flew back at Number 17.

Number 18 ignored the two fighters as she admired herself in the mirror, trying on different hats, scarves, and other accessories. Above her, fists and feet flew, none of them connecting with their intended targets.

"We may have underestimated you," Number 17 admitted with a grin.

"They why are you smiling?" Gohan asked, gaining confidence as he drove the Android steadily backwards.

"Because I think you made the same mistake."

With one hand, Number 17 deflected Gohan's attacks. The other hand drew back, gathering energy. Before Gohan realized what was happening, the Android blasted him back across the room with a beam of energy. Gohan landed on top of a cashier's counter and was just able to raise his crossed arms to block the second blast that sent him crashing down through the floor.

He landed, only to be tossed back up in the air a few feet before bouncing softly to a stop. He nearly laughed out loud as he climbed off the springy mattress. After sleeping on the hard, rocky ground for so long, he was surprised to find such comfort in the middle of a fight. He didn't have much time to enjoy it, though, as another hole was made in the ceiling and Android 18 floated down before him.

"My turn," she said with a smile and launched herself at Gohan.

Gohan had never fought a girl before, and hesitated just long enough for the Android to land a punch to his stomach. On instinct he brought his knee up and hit her in the face. She was thrown back a few yards, but landed softly on her feet. She smiled even wider as she tucked her hair behind one ear.

"Not afraid to hit a girl, huh?"

"You're not a girl," Gohan said. "You're a monster!"

Gohan ran at her, but she took to the air before he could touch her. He sensed her energy attack and spun around just in time to dodge it before firing one of his own. The blast hit her directly in the chest and enveloped her in a cloud of smoke. Gohan smiled, relieved to be rid of at least one of them. But when the smoke cleared, she floated there with her arms crossed over her face, completely unscathed.

"This dog has a little bite in him," Number 17 said as he sailed down from one of the holes in the ceiling. "Maybe you'd better let me handle him."

"No!" Number 18 snapped. "This is my floor! You just don't want to give me a chance to win."

"All right! All right!" he said, throwing his hands in the air. "But you never did say what we were playing for."

"I don't care!" Number 18 glared down at Gohan. "Right now, I'm just playing for his hide!"

Number 18 flew at Gohan, but this time he was ready for her. He blocked and dodged her attacks as she drove him back across the room. Unable to land any kicks or punches himself, he copied Number 17 and used an energy beam to push her away far enough to charge up a stronger blast.

"Masenko!" he yelled as he released the energy from his hands. The blast illuminated the entire floor of the department store and sent mattresses, pillows, and cushions flying everywhere.

Suddenly, Number 18 appeared beside him and kicked him in the stomach beneath his outstretched arms. The force sent him through the wall and he sailed down to the pavement below. Before he could catch his breath enough to stand, Number 17 flew down beside him and kicked him in the side.

The sound of broken ribs echoed in Gohan's ears as he was airborne again. The pain was almost more than he could bear. He was struggling to get air back into his lungs when another blow hit him from behind. Number 18 had flown up above him and smashed her clasped hands down between his shoulders. Blood sprayed from his open mouth as he was driven back down into the sidewalk.

Barely able to remain conscious, Gohan struggled to his feet. The Androids were both casually walking towards him across the street. He knew he wouldn't be able to continue fighting for long. They were much stronger than even his Super Saiyan form. If he stayed any longer, he would end up in Other World with the rest of Earth's warriors!

"Solar Flare!" he yelled sending a blinding flash of light straight at the Androids.

"What the...?"

"I can't see!"

Gohan moved as fast as his broken ribs allowed and escaped down a side street. He was tempted to fly away, but knew they would be able to track his energy, even though he couldn't sense theirs. So he suppressed his energy and limped from one hiding spot to another until he saw them fly away from the city.

His hair and eyes faded back to black and he released the breath he'd been holding. With his arm clamped across his injured side, Gohan slowly made his way to the closest source of assistance - The Capsule Corp.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Accepting Assistance

"Please don't tell my mother," Gohan said weakly from beneath the oxygen mask over his mouth. "She worries enough as it is."

"And for good reason!" Bulma scolded.

She added a final strip of tape to secure the bandage around his ribcage and reached for the needle on the bedside table. When Gohan groaned and attempted to sit, she pushed him back down with one hand and prepped the syringe with the other.

"Oh stop complaining," she said and jabbed the needle into his upper arm. "I still can't understand how you Saiyans can get beaten within an inch of your lives, yet you're still afraid of a little ol' needle."

Gohan winced, but didn't have enough strength left to cry out. The walk across the city had been longer than he anticipated and with each step his broken bones ground together. By the time he reached the gates of the Capsule Corp. compound, the walk had proven too much for him. He collapsed in a cloudy haze of pain, barely able to breathe with one punctured lung.

The sedative Bulma gave him allowed Gohan to sink into a deep, healing sleep. He only wished it would have been dreamless as well.

He regretted how drastically he'd underestimated their power and strength. He'd been so sure being a Super Saiyan would be enough. Now, he realized he'd also need a good strategy to be able to even have a chance against them.

Over and over again, Gohan saw his defeat at the hands of the two Androids in his dreams. Each time the scene got worse and worse until he saw himself as a little boy again and the two machines were enormous, scary monsters trying to eat him. He could even feel their breath on his face as they leaned in to bite him.

"Aahh!" Gohan cried out as he sat up in bed. The sudden movement causing sharp stabs of pain in his side as well as his head. He closed his eyes and grabbed his temples as his head threatened to explode.

"Waahh!" came a loud noise beside him.

Gohan forced open one eye to see where the sound was coming from. A small boy was sitting on the floor beside the bed, rubbing his backside with one hand and his forehead with the other, tears streaming down his face. From the color of his hair, Gohan knew this had to be Bulma's son, Trunks.

"Trunks, please stop crying," Gohan pleaded. "My head feels like it's going to split wide open." The little boy abruptly stopped, his eyes open wide.

"Really?" he asked. Curious, he climbed on the bed to get a better look at Gohan's head. "It doesn't look like it."

"Well look who finally decided to wake up!" Bulma said from the doorway. "Trunks, what was all that noise for? I told you to leave Gohan alone." Trunks looked guiltily down at his hands.

"I just wanted to see if he was still alive," he said bluntly. "Then he bumped my head and I fell on the floor." He rubbed his sore bottom again.

"That explains the headache," Gohan said with a weak smile. He attempted to get out of bed, but Bulma, unceremoniously, pushed him back down.

"Oh no you don't, Gohan! I don't care if you do have Saiyan blood, you are in no condition to get out of that bed!"

"So how long have I been sleeping anyway?" Gohan asked, testing each limb for soreness.

"Three days!" Trunks answered proudly.

"What? Three days?" Gohan exclaimed. "Why did you let me sleep for three days!"

"You needed it," Bulma answered as she poured him a glass of water.

"You even slept through the fireworks!" Trunks added, bouncing excitedly on the bed.

Gohan froze with the water glass nearly to his lips. He looked over its edge at Bulma who gave him a look of warning before ushering Trunks from the room with orders to tell his grandmother that Gohan was hungry. The boy ran out the door, calling for his grandma all the way down the hall.

"The Androids attacked North City again, didn't they?" Gohan asked. When Bulma didn't answer, he sighed. "So how bad is it?"

"Bad," Bulma admitted. "Really bad. The entire west half of the city is completely gone." She turned and left the room before he could ask any more questions.

Despite Bulma's orders, Gohan just couldn't stay in bed. He paced back and forth, trying to come up with a plan to defeat the Androids. He knew they had destroyed half the city just because of him. Maybe it was a good thing he was asleep so they weren't able to track his energy to Capsule Corp. He would hate for anything to happen to Bulma or Trunks on his account.

"You know, no one ever listens to me anymore."

Gohan looked over his shoulder at Bulma, but no guilt showed on his face. There was only the look of serious concentration. Bulma leaned against the doorway and crossed her arms.

"You may as well come downstairs and get something to eat then," she sighed. "After that, I'll show you Vegeta's training room. You can stay here and use it as long as you want."

"Vegeta's training room?" Gohan asked as he followed her to the kitchen.

"You don't think Vegeta would've lived here without state-of-the-art training equipment, do you?" Bulma laughed. "He had my dad working on all sorts of gadgets and things while he was here. At least it kept them both out of mischief." Bulma's laugh sounded a bit forced to Gohan. He wondered if, deep down, Bulma actually missed the Saiyan prince.

* * *

Gohan was amazed by all the technical training equipment Dr. Briefs had invented for Vegeta. Between the increased gravity and the robotic opponents, he knew his skills would increase much faster than his training regime alone in the desert. Even before his ribs were completely healed, he spent most of the day in the special room, working on strength and strategy.

"Gohan, you have a visitor," Bulma's voice sounded over the speaker.

"A visitor?" Gohan wondered who it could be as he terminated the programmed exercise and opened the door.

"Gohan! My baby!"

Chi Chi threw herself at her son and hugged him so tight, he could barely breathe. He winced slightly at the pain and patted her back, marveling at how much smaller she seemed.

"Gohan, you've grown so much!" Chi Chi said with tears in her eyes. She held him at arm's length so she could look him over better. Gohan was glad she couldn't see the bandages still wrapped around his ribs. "You look more like your father than ever."

"Thanks mom," he said with a blush. They went inside the cool house to sit and talk.

"You're looking healthy enough...but that outfit is a disgrace!" Chi Chi scolded.

Gohan looked down at his training clothes. Even though the Saiyan armor he brought back with him from Namek was extremely strong and able to increase as his size did, it was still a sorry sight. The dark material had lightened in the harsh sun and sand of the desert. The edges were ragged and unraveling and the numerous rips and holes were beyond repair. Before Gohan could explain that it was his last remaining outfit, Chi Chi placed a box on his lap.

"Go ahead," she said. "Open it."

Gohan lifted the top off the box and gasped when he saw its contents. Inside, neatly folded, was his father's gi. The orange uniform, the black shirt, belt, and wristbands were just as he remembered them. They even still had Goku's scent on them. The only difference was the symbol on the back - the kanji of Gohan's name.

"They're not the weighted ones Goku usually wore," Chi Chi explained with a sad smile. "He got those from Kami."

"Mom..." Gohan began, but Chi Chi raised a hand to stop him.

"I've seen what those Androids are doing all over the world. I know no matter what I say, you'll do everything in your power to try and stop them." She paused and sighed, looking lovingly at the orange uniform. "It's just what your father would've done."

"Yeah," Gohan said, sadly thinking of his own failure. "He would never have backed down until the job was done."

"Not necessarily," Chi Chi said, receiving a shocked look from her son. "Goku knew his limits. If he wasn't able to beat an opponent the first time, he recovered and trained until he was ready to try again."

"Bulma told you what happened, didn't she?" Gohan asked. Chi Chi nodded. "So what do you think dad would've done after a mess like that?"

"He would've done just what you did," she said. "But, then again, he probably wouldn't have been there alone in the first place. His friends always seemed to know when he needed their help."

"But there isn't anyone left!" Gohan argued. "All of dad's fighting friends are gone!"

"The fighting ones, yes," she agreed. "But there are others who helped him, too."

"You mean like Bulma?" he asked, still not following his mother's train of thought.

"Bulma is one. There's also Master Roshi, Yajirobe, Korin..." she recited, counting them off on her fingers. "The point is - you don't have to think of yourself as a one-man army! Your father didn't think he had to do everything on his own, so don't think you can!"

Gohan went to his room to change into his new gi. He knew his mother was right. Even though he was a Super Saiyan, there was no way he could defeat the Androids on his own. He decided to go and visit Goku's remaining friends to see if they had any help to offer.

Chi Chi let out a gasp when Gohan rejoined her. For a second, she was positive Goku had somehow come back to life and was standing right there before her.

"It's just perfect, mom," Gohan said, bringing Chi Chi back from her imaginings. "You even put my name on the back."

"Well, I thought that since you've been training yourself, I couldn't really put Piccolo's symbol on it," she reasoned.

"If I'd trained with dad, I could've had his symbol on it."

As soon as he said the words, Gohan wished he could've taken them back. He knew she felt guilty enough as it was. Even though it was Chi Chi who had kept them from training together, there was no way she could've known he would die so suddenly. She'd wanted her only son to have a good education and leave the fighting to the others. Now there were no others to fight.

Gohan walked Chi Chi out to her hovercar. For some reason, he was finding it even harder to say goodbye this time. She promised to make him more uniforms for when he needed them, and made him promise to keep himself safe. When she drove away, Gohan stood watching until he could no longer see the tiny speck in the distance.

"Planning on going somewhere?" Bulma asked from behind him. "You've got the same look Goku always had before disappearing."

"I'm going to visit dad's old friends," Gohan admitted. "There's got to be a way to defeat those monsters, but I can't do it alone."

"Well, that's better than going right out to look for the Androids, I guess," she sighed. "But if I were you, I'd rest up a bit more. I saw you wince when Chi Chi hugged you, and if you did run into the androids, you wouldn't have a chance!"

Gohan nodded, knowing she was right.

"Besides," she continued, leading the way back into the house, "Trunks would be devastated if you left already. He finally has someone around he can play with without being afraid of hurting them."

Gohan stayed a full week at the Capsule Corp. He trained hard, ate well, healed his wounds, and played with Trunks. The young boy was overjoyed when Gohan taught him how to fly and concentrate his energy into blasts. Trunks learned quickly and Gohan believed he was even stronger than he'd been at Trunks' age. He wondered how powerful the boy would've been if Vegeta had lived to train him.

"Why do you have to leave?" Trunks complained as Gohan prepared to leave. "Don't you like staying here?"

"I love it, Trunks," Gohan reassured him. "But there's some things I have to take care of."

"Can I come with you then?"

"Sorry, Trunks," he said, ruffling the boy's hair. "But I have an important job for you while I'm gone."

"What? What kind of job?" Trunks asked, bouncing up and down excitedly. Gohan knelt down to his level and looked at him seriously.

"I want you to keep practicing what I taught you. I want you to be able to protect your mom and grandparents."

"Protect them from what?" he asked.

"From...anything." Gohan almost told Trunks about the Androids, but knew it wasn't his place. He was still very young and had no idea what was going on.

Bulma handed Gohan a pack of capsules containing everything she thought he may need. Food, water, shelter, various supplies, and a few vehicles, even though she knew Gohan flew everywhere he went.

"Now you take care of yourself, you hear," she scolded.

"I will," he promised, then lowered his voice so Trunks couldn't hear. "Explain what's going on to Trunks. He needs to know."

"Do you think I want him going after the Androids with you?" she whispered back angrily. "That's just what he'd want to do, you know!"

"But we're the last two Saiyans," Gohan reasoned. "We're the last hope for the earth! If anything should happen to me, it would be up to Trunks to save the people from those monsters! He's stronger than you think, Bulma."

"I know how strong he is," she admitted. "He's Vegeta's son, after all. But he's just a little boy!"

"So was I when we went to Namek. Remember?"

"I remember." Bulma sighed and gave Gohan a small smile. "All right. I promise to explain everything to Trunks. Just promise me you won't need him anytime soon."

"I just wish everyone else was still here. If we'd known about the Androids before they were activated by Dr. Gero, we may have been able to prepare for them. Even without Dad."

"Did you hear they're close to finding a cure for the heart disease that struck Goku?" Bulma asked. Gohan groaned.

"It's too late now," he said. "If only we could travel into the past to give it to him, he'd be able to handle the Androids easily."

"Yeah," Bulma agreed. "Your father would've made a big difference."

They said their goodbyes and Gohan flew off. Bulma walked back into the house and straight to her workshop. Something Gohan said sparked an idea and she was determined to try everything she could to make it a reality.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: One Man Army

Number 18 smirked as she dodged Gohan's attacks.

"You've gotten a lot stronger," she commented as she kicked at his side. Gohan was just barely able to bring his arm down in time to block it, but left himself open for the punch that followed. "Too bad it isn't enough," she added as he staggered backwards.

"Aren't you done yet?" Number 17 yawned. "With all the commotion you two are making, all the people ran away. Now I don't have anyone else to kill and I'm getting bored."

"Too bad," Number 18 said as she dodged Gohan's volley of ki attacks. "That means I'm still ahead. If you can't catch up soon, I'll just have to collect on our bet," she added throwing a large ball of energy at the allusive Gohan.

"No way! I am not going to lose this one," he said launching himself into the fight. "I am not going to take you shopping!"

Gohan braced for the new round of attacks. His training with Roshi and Korin helped him considerably, but not as much as Mr. Popo's Pendulum Room of Time and Space. In it, he'd fought against other Saiyans from long ago, training how to handle multiple opponents. The only problem was, there were no opponents as strong as the Androids to practice with.

The attack came from both sides and there was no way Gohan could dodge them in time.

"Energy shield!"

The shield held, but took more energy than he dared expend against these two. It was obvious he'd done all he could. There was no way to win, but he'd delayed them long enough for at least some of the people to get safely away. That was as much as he could hope for. Now it was time to retreat before they succeeded in killing him.

Number 17 flew in and punched Gohan back through the brick wall of a building a block away. Number 18 quickly followed with multiple blasts, causing the entire thing to collapse on top of him. Gohan took the opportunity to hide his power level, dropping back from Super Saiyan.

"Did we get him?" he heard Number 17 ask.

"Doubt it," Number 18 answered. "He's like a cockroach. He keeps coming back no matter what we do."

"So do you want to look for him?"

"No. I'm getting bored. Let's just leave him for now. If he doesn't die, then he can surprise us another time."

"I guess so," Number 17 said. "But next time we get him for good."

"Whatever," Number 18 sighed. "So I guess I won today. You know what that means?"

Number 17 groaned. "OK, I'll take you shopping. But next time I get to pick the game."

Gohan heard their voices drift away. He could barely breathe from the weight of the bricks and there was a steel girder sticking him in the side, but he stayed where he was. He didn't want to give away his position if they still happened to be around. If only there was a way to sense where they were.

By the time he finally crawled out from under the rubble, the stars were shining bright overhead. He looked himself over and decided not to use one of the sensu beans Master Korin had given him. The cuts and burns would heal well enough by themselves. He just wished the Androids would take a break once in a while. The closest he got to a vacation was when they decided to destroy property instead of lives.

* * *

"Not again!" Gohan groaned as he flew toward the smoke rolling into the sky from Pepper City. They were getting too close for comfort to Capsule Corp. If he couldn't stop them soon, he'd have to try and talk Bulma into leaving her house for their own safety. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if anything happened to Trunks because he wasn't strong enough to stop those two monsters. It had been thirteen years since the Androids first arrived and Gohan had been doing his best to save as many people as he could since becoming the earth's last hope. He couldn't even count the number of battles they'd been in, but each one had ended the same. The Androids were unstoppable!

Although they had the power to wipe out the entire planet with one blast, they seemed to enjoy the entertainment of it all more than reaching their goal. Gohan sometimes wondered if they prolonged the extinction of the human race because they knew they'd become too bored with no one left to kill.

So for years, Gohan and the Androids played a complex and deadly game of cat and mouse. Sometimes he hunted them down, sometimes they hunted him. He knew deep down he could never defeat them, but if he was able to save them from killing just one person and live through the battle, he considered it a success.

Pepper City was a total loss. Gohan flew around trying to pick up on any life signs from beneath the rubble of the destroyed buildings. There were absolutely no survivors. He cursed himself for being too far away to sense the Android's destruction of the city.

For weeks, the Androids had been following a direct course across the country, leaving behind them ruined cities and dead bodies. Gohan tried to warn the people in the next cities to leave, but there just wasn't enough time for all of them to evacuate. He fought against the Androids to try and buy them at least a few precious minutes, but it was never enough. It would never be enough.

So just when Gohan thought he knew the Android's plan, they completely changed direction and attacked a city hundreds of miles away. One with tens of thousands of innocent people.

A strong energy level caught Gohan's attention. This was no injured survivor. The levels were much too high. Even before he landed on top of the rubble that used to be a skyscraper, he realized who it was. There was no mistaking the distinct emotional power, so like his own.

The teenage half-Saiyan stood in the midst of the horrifying destruction, holding onto a small doll he'd found among the dead bodies. A doll that would never be hugged and loved by its owner ever again. His eyes were haunted by what he was seeing, and tears streamed down his face from the pain he felt for the innocent victims.

Gohan understood at once that Trunks had never witnessed the Androids' atrocities first hand before. He may have heard about them or seen scenes on television, but never experienced the sounds and smells that accompanied the devastation. It was bound to change him forever.

Trunks sensed Gohan's presence and looked up at him. The intensity of anguish in the young face tore at his heart and he cursed himself again for not being strong enough to prevent this day from happening. Now that Trunks had seen what the Androids were capable of, it was only a matter of time before he took it upon himself to join in the battle against the monsters. His Saiyan blood demanded it.

The boy's raw emotions were already channeling into his power levels faster and harder than Gohan was able to do as a teenager. It wouldn't take much to tip the scales and teach him to achieve Super Saiyan status. He just hoped Trunks had kept up the training he taught him so many years, and a lifetime of battles, ago. He was getting so tired of fighting the same war for so long. Maybe, in a few years, he wouldn't have to be a one-man army against insurmountable odds any longer.

It was then that Gohan realized it was not he, but Trunks, who would be the hope for the future of the planet. The lavender-haired, half-breed son of a Saiyan prince would be the savior of the earth. The planet's last hope!


End file.
